Wear-plate for buoy-eyes



(No Model.) A. L. WOODWOR TH.

WEAR PLATE FOR BUOY EYES.

No. 400,888. Patented Apr. 2, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT L. lVOODWVORTl-I, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

WEAR-PLATE FOR BUOY-EYES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,888, dated April 2, 1889,

Application filed November 8, 1888. Serial No. 290614. (No model.)

To ail whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT L. Wool)- WORTH, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in- WVear- Plates for Buoy-Eyes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invent-ion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in wear-plates for the eyes of buoys, buoy-balls, and other analogous structures, the object of the same being to provide a simple, cheap, and effective means whereby wear on the eye or link of a buoy or other device will be prevented; and my invention consists of a two-part casting adapted to be secured to a ring or eye to prevent wear, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a buoy-eye, showing one-half of my improved wear-plate applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the eye and wear-plate. Fig. 3 is a side View of a modification of my invention.

A refers to the eye or ring, which may be attached to a buoy or other device, and which is formed by being bent semicircular, the converging ends thereof being rigidly secured to the buoy.

It has been found in practice that the mooring-chains and the chains used for suspending weights to the buoy rapidly wear away the eyes, so that the buoys frequently break away, and the weights, becoming detached, are lost. To obviate this wear, I apply to the buoy or weight eye-castings B and O, which constitute or form wear-plates to prevent the chain coming in contact with the eye.

The casting Bis preferably provided immediately above the semicircular recess therein with a projecting lip, b, which, when the castings are clamped together, will lie in a corresponding recess, 0, formed in the casting 0. Each of the castings is provided with semicircular recesses which inclose the eye, and with perforations d and d, through which rivets or bolts pass for clamping the wearplates upon the eye.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings I have shown the wear-plates extending onlyashort distance above the bend in the eye, While in Fig. 3 the castings are extended to bridge the eye. The castings shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are provided centrally with recesses with= in which the link of the connecting chain will lie, and in Fig. 3 an oblong opening is formed.

This device can be readily applied to buoyeyes which have been worn, and will strengthen them, so that for all practical purposes they will be as good as new.

The wear-plates or guards are preferably made of cast metal, though they may be made of forgings or other suitable material, the cast metal being preferable by reason of cheap ness and hardness.

Practice and experience have shown that the buoy-eyes and eyes of buoy-weights and balls, which are constructed of wrought metal, wear rapidly, even more so than the links of the chain of the same diameter as the metal of which the eyes are made, for the reason the wear is always at the same point. Consequently the eyes give way while the chain is still in good condition.

I am aware that wear-plates for chain-links have been provided which do not entirely surround the eye of the link; also, that castings have been attached to flexible links, said castings being made in two parts, as is shown in Patents Nos. 374,148, 264,139, and 279,742, and I do not, therefore, claim the wear-plate, broadly; but

What I claim asnew, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In combination with a buoy-eye, castings B and 0, having recesses curved to correspond with the contour of the eye, corresponding recess and projection, b and c, immediately above the center of said curved reeesses, and perforations d and d at opposite In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature in sides of the curved recesses, through which presence of two Witnesses.

bolts or rivets pass for securing the Wear- 1 m ,7 7 r1 plates upon the eye, so as to be immovable ALBERI ORJH' 5 upon each other and upon the buoy-eye, sub- \Vitnesses:

stantially as shown, and for the purpose set SOUTHGATE LEIGH,

forth. JAs. W. WILLGOX. 

